The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1887-10-27

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While out on our recent trip through
the Western counties, We frequently met
Mr.. w. W. Prof1itt of Yancey who was
out on his annual trip collecting up the
stock of ginseng which had been gathe.
ed for him at the various town and
country stores.
The lawful season Of digging begins on
the 1st day of September, when the seeds
of the plant are ripe, and is continued
through that month and until snow falls.
/ Lit attention is paid to the law; FOR in
the depths of the wilderness there is no
one to note its violation. The object of
the law was to insure propagation of tae
plant by the perfected seed. The process
OF extinction is going on steadily, and the
valuable root is becoming scarce, and the
prices high. r Sang" dealer told US
that few years ago he bought 5000
pounds at cents per pound. Mr.. Prof
/ fit informs us ne paid now $i.7J pound
for the dried root. four pounds of the
green making one of dry.
| The plant is found in rich deep shady
coves, where it grows luxuriantly among
other weeds and plants Its general
appearance is that of the angelica. or of
the poison hemlock, plant with pinnate,
serrated, pointed lea, les, dividing about
two feet from the ground nto two branch
es, at the separation of which is bunch
of bloom, followed by a cluster of seeds.
| These germinate readily; and if suffered
to fall to the ground, the plant RAPIDLY
increases, as was proved during the war
when the gathering of the root was sus-
pended. 1t will not thrive artifcially
cultivated; but if protected in its natural
locality will become abundant. But sang
gardens, like cattle ranges, are common
| property, and are greedily pounced up
on by searchers without regard to rights
of ownership.
| The botanical name, Panax Quinque-
folium was bestowed by Linnaus in de-
ference to the Chinese belief that it was
cure all. These people have alway had
an exalted idea OF its virtues, and its
gathering in China was 4 royal n,Onop-
oily. The Jesuits became acquainted
with the plant and its estimation in the
Flowery Kingdom. and when afterwards
they found it III the wids of North Am
erica, they recognized the fact that they
had found commodity valuable in trade;
and for q century and half it has been
gathered for the Chinese market, exclu-
sivelv, our own people making no me
dicinal application of it
1t is, or was, found all over the noun
tain section of the United States and in
the Northwestern States. In our old
school biographies, in the enumeration
of the products of North Carolina, there
were always to be found, "ginseng,
seneca snake root. tar, pitch and turpen-
tine" But Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio.
WISCONSIN, Minnesota and other States
share-with North Carolina whatever OF
honoT there is in the product.
1t is impossible to tell what Is the
amount or annual value of the root col
lected. 1t is all bought on account OF
Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York
houses, and all sent to China, where ii
is always in demand at fuctuating prices
sometimes bringing its weight in silver.
The root when dry is in pieces weighing
from few grains to an ounce. The roots
often take grotesque shapes; and it il
very remarkable that both the Chinese
and our Indian name for the root
express the same idea-that of resemb.
lance to the figure of man.